There are two key steps to business success: financing and building your audience. You may think the two goals are separate, but they don’t have to be. Traditional financing gets you money for your business, but crowdfunding gets you money and potential customers. That’s what entrepreneur and whiskey lover Rachna Hukmani figured out when she started her company, Whiskey Stories LLC. In my conversation with Rachna, we talk all about the non-monetary benefits of crowdfunding, including connecting with customers and creating opportunities for growth. You’ll also learn how to market without a huge budget, how to pivot your offerings during difficult times, and how collaborating with other businesses can help you expand your reach.  About my guest:Rachna Hukmani is a whiskey aficionado and the founder and CEO of Whiskey Stories LLC, a Michelin Guide-recommended luxury whiskey company that offers immersive, multisensory whiskey tastings and education. Before starting Whiskey Stories, Rachna worked in advertising, then got a job at Johnny Walker where she fell in love with the history and art form of whiskey-making. Today, in addition to her in-person and online whiskey experiences, she also has a whiskey membership club and sells whiskey-based colognes and hand sanitizers. In this episode we talk about:➤ How Rachna got interested in whiskey (5:00)➤ How Rachna uses whiskey to create a story (8:49)➤ The financing Rachna used to start her business (15:16)➤ The importance of authenticity and relatability in marketing (19:29)➤ One unique benefit of crowdfunding versus traditional financing (23:04)➤ How Rachna has shifted her business strategies during the pandemic (25:47)➤ How to communicate with your customers during this time (29:19)➤ Tips for keeping your cash flow steady (33:09)➤ How business owners can increase their media presence (35:08)➤ The importance of creating valuable business partnerships (39:56)Keep ListeningCurious to learn more about financing your growing business?Check out my conversation about Invoice Factoring from both the lender and borrowers perspective: Rachel Hersh, Sales Director of Prestige Capital, Lauren Picasso, Founder, and CEO of Cure Hydration and Ceata and Garrett Lash, Owners of PuffCuff LLC.Contact MeReady to transform your purpose to an impactful business financial story, profit, and joy? Schedule a chat with me at any time.Connect with  Rachna:➤ Website➤ Instagram➤ Facebook➤ LinkedIn➤ Twitter